Kirk’s Captain Corner is a regular feature that allows Carver County residents to get to know the student-leaders of the various teams in our high schools. Today, we feature senior captain Marshall Fahler of the Chaska Boys Lacrosse Team.
Like many athletes on the lacrosse teams, you picked up the sport relatively late. What attracted you to lacrosse?
What really attracted me to lacrosse was the people I knew and the good connections I already had with some of the older kids already playing. I wanted to pick up a spring sport, and the physicality and speed of the game appealed to me.
What advice do you have for younger athletes looking to get into lacrosse?
If you are interested in playing, go for it! You will make a strong connection with the Chaska lacrosse family. A good attitude and putting in some extra sweat and tears of hard work will make you a strong player regardless of when you start. Lacrosse teaches skills that are valuable on and off the field.
Describe the positions on the field – what are they, and what position do you play? How did you end up in that position?
At first I started out as a midfielder (transitioning the ball from offense to defense, same the other way around). But as I progressed, I had a great mentor (Noah Klindworth) that eventually got me into the face-off position as well. I really liked this new choice of position because I was the one that set the tone for starting the plays off strong with a possession and that made me feel like a great contributor to our team.
What are your goals, both personally and for the Chaska team as we get closer to the postseason?
My main goal is to play with a smart, well-rounded team that continues to strive to be better—win or lose. I want to create a long-lasting chemistry with my teammates and relationships that continue even out of high school. Being a captain helped me get involved with my teammates more by teaching them how to become higher caliber players.
What do you and the team do to get fired up for games?
Pregame locker room music sing-alongs and chants we use definitely get our squad fired up and ready to compete against any opponent.
What are your plans for next year?
Next year, I will major in mechanical engineering at the University of Northern Iowa. After graduating I would love to work at John Deere or Polaris designing efficient machines.
What does it mean to you to be a team captain?
To me, being a team captain is making sure everything flows smoothly throughout the season, and I do this by being the bridge between the coaches and the players. Good communication is a major part of lacrosse, and is stressed on our team; it is needed to create that team chemistry and make sure everyone is on the same page at all times.
Chaska’s Boys Lacrosse team hosts Buffalo on Saturday, May 9 at 3:30 p.m. at Chaska High School stadium.
